Child marriage remains a deeply rooted global concern, with over 640 million women and girls worldwide having been married before the age of 18. Every year, approximately 12 million girls become child brides, often driven by poverty, social norms, and gender inequality. Despite being outlawed under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006), the practice continues in various parts of India, including Rajasthan — a state showing commendable progress but still facing serious challenges.
Rajasthan: Progress Amid Ongoing Challenges
According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21), one in four women aged 20–24 in Rajasthan were married before 18. Districts such as Bhilwara (53.2%), Karauli (53%), Jaisalmer (51.8%), Nagaur (50.6%), Barmer and Alwar (49.8%) remain hotspots. However, Rajasthan recorded a 12-percentage point decline in child marriage from NFHS-4 to NFHS-5 — the highest reduction among Indian states — improving its national rank from 25th to 22nd.
Disturbing National Trends
Sharing the facts with The Daily Guardian, Shafqat Hussain, Social Policy Specialist at UNICEF Rajasthan, said that although Rajasthan has improved, the number of child marriages is still higher than the national average. According to the UNICEF report, there are more than 22.6 crore child brides in the country. Out of these, 10.2 crore girls were married before the age of 15 years. One out of every 3 girls are married before the age of 15. According to the data released by the National Family Health Survey Report 2019-21, 25.4% of girls in the state are married before the age of 18. That is, about 25 out of 100 girls are married as children. Even now, child marriage in rural areas is about 13.2% more than in cities. According to the NFH survey report, 15.1% of girls are getting married as children in urban areas, whereas 28.3% of girls get married as children in rural areas.
State Action And Legal Interventions
Rajesh Dogiwal, an official from ICPS, shared with The Daily Guardian that government departments, NGOs, and local bodies are working in close coordination to prevent and annul child marriages The state has rolled out various schemes to tackle child marriage and promote child welfare, including the Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Palanhar Yojana, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), and Mukhyamantri Hunar Vikas Yojana for skill development.
Stories Of Courage And Change
Dr Kriti Bharti, child rights activist and founder of Sarathi Trust, has played a pivotal role in annulling 52 child marriages in Rajasthan, including 10 on Akha Teej alone. Her organisation has also prevented 2,100 child marriages, rehabilitated 25,000 children and women, and administered mass oaths to over 50,000 people against performing child marriages.
Sheetal (name changed), a 20-year-old from Tonk, was married at just two years of age during a family function in 2003. She discovered the marriage as she grew older and feared it would crush her dream of becoming an IAS officer. Depressed and desperate, she reached out to Dr Bharti of Sarathi Trust, who supported her in filing for annulment in Tonk Family Court. Despite facing threats and the sudden death of her father due to stress, Sheetal bravely pursued justice. With Dr Bharti’s legal support, the court annulled her child marriage—the first such case in Tonk district.
Sharmila (name changed) of Tinwari tehsil was married in 2003 to a young man from Osian tehsil. At the time of child marriage, Sharmila was only two and a half years old. But due to the ceremony of Mausar in the family, she was tied in the shackles of child marriage. Sharmila, in a state of depression, took the help of social media and contacted Dr Bharti, Managing Trustee and Rehabilitation Psychologist of Sarathi Trust, who is among the World Top Ten Activists and BBC 100 Inspiring Women. With the help of Dr Bharti, Sharmila filed a case in Jodhpur Family Court, pleading for annulment of child marriage. The Family Court annulled Sharmila’s child marriage and freed her from the bondage.
NFHS-5 data reveals that girls with no education face a 48% risk of being married before 18, compared to only 4% among girls with higher education. Poverty also plays a major role: 40% of girls in the lowest wealth quintile were married early, compared to 8% in the highest. While Rajasthan’s urban areas show better indicators, the rate of improvement in rural areas between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 has been higher, suggesting positive momentum in traditionally underserved regions. With the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of ending child marriage by 2030, Rajasthan’s approach — combining legal, educational, and grassroots efforts — may serve as a model for the rest of the country.
